Nawar Fakkhry Ezzi The recent terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris has reaffirmed many people's misconception and prejudices about Islam and Muslims in which Islam is considered a violent religion whose followers have no respect for human rights, freedom of speech or even the sanctity of human life. Muslims who protested and fumed over the cartoons published by Charlie Hebdo should redirect their anger towards extremists and terrorists who are the ones truly guilty of defaming Islam and tarnishing the image of Muslims. The terrorists who viciously killed 12 people in Charlie Hebdo office will not only carry the sins of murdering these people, but are also responsible for further publicizing the very cartoons they condemned because now, thanks to them, Charlie Hebdo has become the symbol of free speech and all the values that the West hold dear. After this recent attack, even those who did not agree with the content of Charlie Hebdo before, now proclaim “Je Suis Charlie”, which means I am Charlie, to show their support and unity against those who threaten the values of Western civilizations. At times like these, one cannot help but wonder if Muslims and Westerners will ever be able to coexist harmoniously. The conflict of the two ideologies seems to deepen and branches out into sub-conflicts; what started as a war between ‘good' and ‘evil' evolved into a contest in which each group is trying to prove that their values and beliefs are superior resulting in a cycle of aggravation by the West and violence by terrorists. The conflict does not only exist between the West and Muslim extremists though, but also between the West and the majority of Muslims, including some of those who were born and raised in Western countries. Unfortunately, many of these parties do not appreciate, respect, or even attempt to understand each other's cultures, beliefs or values, which makes matters worse. Charlie Hebdo is a satire magazine and satire by definition is “the use of irony, sarcasm, and ridicule” to express a person's thought regarding an issue and is used as a genre in literature, graphic and performing arts. This magazine does not target Muslims specifically, but has also used Jewish and Christian symbols in their mockery. Jews and Christians must have been offended as well, but their reaction was more relaxed because they understand the dynamics of the culture and are used to this genre. Historically, this genre has been used in the West as a tool for political and social propaganda. Satire also seems like the perfect genre for racists because they can use stereotypes, political incorrectness, and offensive language and images freely. When it is used in this way, however, it spreads and entices hatred between different groups of people, especially because the ‘other' is most of the time the target of the ridicule. On the other hand, the world becomes a better place when idealists express their thoughts through satire. For Muslims, in general, and Arabs, in particular, this method of expression has been used very prudently because it is too crude for people's conservative taste and religious ideas are usually off-limits. This factor further increases Muslims' shock when Westerners make Islamic symbols the target of their ridicule. Nevertheless, Muslims' reverence of Islam and Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, should be governed by intellectuality rather than erratic emotions and impulsiveness. Irrational outrage and violence is the weapon of the weak and perpetuates the very image Muslims are trying to correct. Writing, drawing, or any other form of expression would deliver an effective response in a rather more civilized manner. Fred Rogers, who is an American educator and television host in the 20th century said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping'”. During times like these, we should always look or even try to become one of the ‘helpers' to combat hatred and prejudice. The newspapers and programs seem to include such stories recently, which include #Illridewithyou, which was created during the Sydney siege and sparked a movement in which Australians offered to ride with Muslims in public transportation if they were scared from hate crimes. Reports of a Muslim man helping Jewish hostages in a kosher market during the siege in Paris have also filled the news this week. Such stories ignite hope in the middle of this darkness and make the world seem still decent enough to live in. I am not Charlie, and I am definitely not the terrorists who killed them; I am a Muslim who dreams of a world where human rights, equality, tolerance, understanding and respect of diversity and multiculturalism is implemented and appreciated. And as Muslims, before condemning others, we need to reconsider how we present Islam and the Prophet, pbuh, whether through our beliefs or our actions because right now we are largely to blame for tarnishing the image of Islam. The writer can be reached at [email protected]
